Info Tabs

When it comes to studying the canon of rock and roll studio wizardry, John Pelant is a Ph.D. student. The myriad sonic details that separate merely good records from masterpieces — a specific Casio keyboard tone, a certain pitch on a drum-machine beat, the right amount of reverb — are the very particulars that Pelant revels in. He’s scrutinized some of the greats: Brian Wilson, Paul McCartney, Todd Rundgren…

When rock bands break up, the last straw is always the same. Love, drugs, busses, airports, euphemistic “creative differences.” Clashing egos. It’s dull, it’s repetitious. The difference is what holds them together, be it for long, fruitful careers or for brief flashes of brilliance. Minneapolis-based Carroll, one of the most colorful, carefully honed acts in indie rock, are many things: young, vibrant, contemplative. But perhaps most interestingly, they’re a case study in how four distinct creative voices can coalesce into one balanced, relentlessly engaging sound.

"Rupert Angeleyes are a Minneapolis band that specializes in ’60s psych-pop pastiche, all undulating patterns and pastel colors. The band name, much like the music, elicits an immediate reaction: It’s earnest and a little corny, maybe even bordering on too much so, but it’s also endearing and unforgettable.

Siblings Neil and Martha Weir formed the band (under the name the Shut-Ins) in 2003 in Minneapolis with a drum machine. They cut ﬁve demos and began playing shows in the Twin Cities. Shortly thereafter, live drummer Colin Johnson (Vampire Hands/Skin Flowers) joined the band and the three-piece began playing under the name The Chambermaids, and subsequently recorded the tracks that would later become their self-titled debut full-length.